


Kakorrhaphiophobia

by LoveMicahs



Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Cinder Fall Sucks Ass, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Familyyy, Gen, Hallucinations, NOT GELATO, Neo has Abandonment Issues, Neo needs a hug, Roman Survives AU, Roman fucking SHOT a bird from the inside, Roman is a dad, headcanons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-31
Updated: 2018-03-31
Packaged: 2019-04-16 11:15:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14163618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoveMicahs/pseuds/LoveMicahs
Summary: Kakorrhaphiophobia (n): The fear of failure; alternatively, the fear of being abandonedNeo's survived the Fall of Beacon.Did Roman?





	Kakorrhaphiophobia

**Author's Note:**

> Italics represent hallucinations. 
> 
> Don't fucking think this is Gelato.
> 
> Art and Inspiration is erin-owo on Tumblr! Please support her!

A shortening of breath, the smell of smoke. The screeches of citizens and Grimm both rang in her ears as she stumbled through the roughened ruins of what was once the prestigious academy of Beacon. Her bi-colored eyes, now darkened with the impending feeling of dread and grief, flitted around the terrain in an effort to find something, _anything_ , that could help her, even in the smallest bit.

 

But, alas, there was nothing. Anything that could aid in helping her was likely already destroyed, with salvageable items already taken, either by owners or frantic thieves. Not a soul to be seen, either dead, evacuated...or destroyed. Letting out a shaky sigh, the teenager continued her trek, despite knowing that she would likely not find a single thing that would make any difference. She didn’t have a choice but to keep moving until she had to rest.

 

She had nothing left for her in Remnant.

 

-...-

 

Three days had passed, three days since she had been launched off the airship by Red, and she was yet to find some sort of salvation. She felt sick to her stomach. Maybe this was her punishment. She’d run away from her family, her mistakes caused her to get exiled by the tribe leader, and now...this. The only ones who had ever truly cared for her were _dead_...and it was all her fault. Any other accomplices were either gone, or they had escaped to somewhere different.

 

Without her.

 

A shaky hand reached up to grip her shirt. Neopolitan, Neopolitan. Was that name dead too, now? Mallory was destroyed to cut away from abuse and pressure. Mal was left in the memory of the tribe, as the owner could not be referred to that anymore. With the Fall of Beacon, her present title was now stripped away. She had become an anomaly. Nobody. Someone nobody will ever care for again, after her actions. After what she did.

 

She sucked in tears. Stupid, stupid. She shouldn’t cry. Villains don’t cry. Tribe scouts don’t cry. And, especially, a Glacée doesn’t cry, let alone show _emotion_. It was a sign of weakness, that’s what it was. The same lesson father and mother told her, that Raven Branwen told her, that Cinder Fall told her. But it was too late to think about that now. Neo had no choice but to continue moving.

 

It had always been daunting to her, how vast Beacon was. It felt more overwhelming, somehow, when it was empty, with only grimm around.

 

Grimm.

 

           Neo’s eyes widened. That’s it! Wouldn’t Roman have been taken by a Grimm? Neo’s eyes flitted around. Bird Grimm. The only thing that could have done...done _this_ to her partner. Her heart pounded as she saw a flock not too far ahead. Gritting her teeth, she pulled out her sword, slinging her umbrella over her shoulder as she rushed towards the Grimm, eyes dark with hatred. Roman could be in any of those birds. Screaming with a voice that was broken with disuse, the scar that stretched across her neck pulsing with every breath, Neo held up her sword, slashing at every griffon and nevermore she saw. As the shadows wafted off of them, Neo gasped for breath. Someone stood there, his hat off in confusion and shock. Neo’s breathing stopped as she looked at him.

 

          She walked forwards, before her feet planted on the ground, her hands loosening and her sword and parasol clattering to the ground. She couldn’t speak, couldn’t breathe. He started to walk towards her, but whatever was going on, it wasn’t real.

 

_“Neo,” Roman hissed, tutting as he spun his cane, walking closer to Neo. “What a shame that you failed CRME.”_

 

_Neo stumbled for words, lifting her hands up to speak, to defend herself, what was Roman talking about—_

 

_Roman stepped forwards, using his cane to knock her hands down. “Don’t use that stupid hand thing with me again. You should stay quiet.” Neo gritted her teeth. “Oh?” Roman said, tipping his head in mock confusion. “Do you not know? I thought you were supposed to be SMART. Well, let’s see, Neopolitan. You’ve lost multiple times, was too dumb to realize that Red had the upper hand on you, couldn’t save me on the Atlesian airship. You can’t coordinate with Sustrai and Black, you constantly disobeyed Cinder.” Neo opened her mouth, but Roman cut her off, pulling out Neo’s scroll. Neo frantically pat her coat pockets._

 

_“I know about your past, Neo...or should I say Mallory. You’re a failure to Raven Branwen, and to your FAMILY, too. And to me.” Neo’s irises went white. “Goodbye, Neopolitan. I have never seen someone mess up this much. What a failure. We always pitied you.” Neo stretched a hand out, trying to respond, to apologize, but his back was already to her._

 

_Failure._

 

_Failure._

 

_Neo couldn’t breathe. She didn’t want to be alone, she couldn’t be alone, Neo couldn’t be alone again._

 

“I’M SORRY!” Neo rasped out, her fists shaking and her eyes closed shut. “I’M SORRY, I’M SORRY!” Neo could feel her legs shaking, feeling the pressure falling on top of her. She began to fall, but someone caught her.

 

“Whoa, kid,” Roman whispered, holding her gently as she cried. “It’s okay. Why are you apologizing?” Neo sucked in a shaky breath, unable to focus on what was going on, what was real or not.

 

“I-I’m s-sorry...I’m sorry for failing you, I...I d-don’t want to be left alone again…” Neo choked out, her grip tightening on Roman’s blood-stained coat. Roman stared at her in worry, rubbing circles on her back.

 

“Neo, when did I ever say something like that? You’re the only one I care about. You’re family.” His eyes widened. “Wait. Were you...hallucinating?”

 

The lack of a response only confirmed it. Roman frowned, taking off his hat and placing it on Neo’s smaller head. “Whatever you heard, it wasn’t true. You should be happy, we survived!”

 

“W-W-What about the team-”

 

“Cinder and her cronies? They can do without us for a while. Let’s go home.”

 

Neo could only smile.


End file.
